New platform offers efficient, cost effective professional development in responsible investment
The Responsible Investment Association (RIA) is pleased to announce the launch of the RIA Digital Academy, a new online learning platform for professionals to strengthen their knowledge of responsible investment, which refers to investments that incorporate environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues.
The RIA Digital Academy offers two online courses: a new and improved version of RI Fundamentals for Retail Advisors and the all-new RI Essentials for Investment Professionals. Both courses are offered in English and French, and they are priced at C$450 each with discounts available for RIA members and post-secondary students.
RI Essentials for Investment Professionals was developed in collaboration with the Institute for Sustainable Finance, which is based at the Smith School of Business at Queen’s University. The course gives financial professionals a broad overview of key concepts, issues, strategies, frameworks and trends in responsible investment. It can be completed in 10 to 15 hours of study time. It has been accredited for CE credits by IIROC, FP Canada, and IAFE, and it has been accredited for PDUs by IQPF and CSF.
As its name indicates, RI Fundamentals for Retail Advisors is tailored for retail advisors working in the Canadian market. It offers practical, efficient, and cost-effective education for retail advisors who want to develop knowledge of responsible investment and how it works in practice. The course can be completed in approximately 10 hours of study time. It has been accredited for CE credits by IIROC, FP Canada, and IAFE, and it has been accredited for PDUs by IQPF and CSF. The new platform offers an updated version of the same Fundamentals course that the RIA has offered since 2016.
“We are really excited to deliver these educational offerings for our membership and the broader market,” said Dustyn Lanz, CEO of the Responsible Investment Association. “ESG knowledge is no longer nice to have; it’s table stakes for winning institutional mandates and that will soon be the case in the retail market. We are thrilled to partner with the Institute for Sustainable Finance to ramp up ESG education in Canada.”
“Today’s financial professionals need robust sustainable finance education to fully assess the risks and seize the opportunities of responsible investing,” said Sean Cleary, Chair of the Institute for Sustainable Finance. “We are pleased to work with RIA Canada to address this important gap in professional development.”
The course outlines and more details are available at academy.riacanada.ca. Furthermore, the RIA continues to partner with the PRI Academy, offering discounts on PRI Academy courses to RIA members. Links to PRI Academy courses are available on the RIA Digital Academy website, and members can access their discount code in the member portal of the RIA website.
About the Responsible Investment Association
The Responsible Investment Association (RIA) is Canada’s industry association for responsible investment (RI). The RIA aims to drive the growth and development of RI in Canada, with a vision to align capital with sustainable and inclusive development as codified in the Paris Agreement and the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Our members include asset managers, asset owners, advisors, and service providers who support these objectives. Our institutional investor members collectively manage more than $29 trillion in assets. Learn more about the RIA at www.riacanada.ca.
About the Institute for Sustainable Finance
The Institute for Sustainable Finance (ISF) is the first-ever cross-cutting and collaborative hub in Canada that fuses academia, the private sector, and government with the singular focus of increasing Canada’s sustainable finance capacity. The institute’s mission is to align mainstream financial markets with Canada’s transition to a prosperous sustainable economy. Learn more about the ISF at www.isfcanada.org.
RIA Member Enquiries
Olga Bordatcheva
Senior Manager, Member Relations
Email: olga@riacanada.ca
Phone: +1(416)461-6042 x7
Media Enquiries
Nick Buccheri
Director, Operations
Email: nick@riacanada.ca
Phone: +1(416) 461-6042 x5
